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Moonshot: Public R&D and Growth

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  • Shawn Kantor
  • Alexander T. Whalley

Abstract

We estimate the long-term effect of public R&D on growth in manufacturing by analyzing new data from the Cold War era Space Race. We develop a novel empirical strategy that leverages US-Soviet rivalry in space technology to isolate windfall R&D spending. Our results demonstrate that public R&D conducted by NASA contractors increased manufacturing value added, employment, and capital accumulation in space related sectors. While migration responses were important, they were not sufficient to generate a wedge between local and national effects. The iconic Moonshot R&D program had only modest economic effects for both the local and national space-related sectors.

Suggested Citation

  • Shawn Kantor & Alexander T. Whalley, 2023. "Moonshot: Public R&D and Growth," NBER Working Papers 31471, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:31471
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    1. Taylor Jaworski & Carl T. Kitchens, 2019. "National Policy for Regional Development: Historical Evidence from Appalachian Highways," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 101(5), pages 777-790, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Choi, Jaedo & Levchenko, Andrei A., 2025. "The long-term effects of industrial policy," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    2. Chiappinelli, Olga & Giuffrida, Leonardo M. & Spagnolo, Giancarlo, 2025. "Public procurement as an innovation policy: Where do we stand?," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    3. Wittstock, Nicolas, 2025. "The governmental origins of American innovation in clean technologies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    4. Andrea Recine & Massimiliano Tancioni, 2025. "Macroeconomic Effects of Government Defense and Non-Defense R&D," Working Papers in Public Economics 262, Department of Economics and Law, Sapienza University of Roma.
    5. Yanagiura, Takeshi & Tateishi, Shinji, 2024. "Local economic impact of small, non-research private universities: evidence from Japan," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    6. Magnus Henrekson & Christian Sandström & Mikael Stenkula, 2024. "Learning from Overrated Mission-Oriented Innovation Policies: Seven Takeaways," International Studies in Entrepreneurship, in: Magnus Henrekson & Christian Sandström & Mikael Stenkula (ed.), Moonshots and the New Industrial Policy, pages 235-255, Springer.
    7. Magnus Henrekson & Christian Sandström & Mikael Stenkula, 2024. "Moonshots and the New Industrial Policy: Questioning the Mission Economy," International Studies in Entrepreneurship, in: Magnus Henrekson & Christian Sandström & Mikael Stenkula (ed.), Moonshots and the New Industrial Policy, pages 3-28, Springer.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H54 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Infrastructures
    • N12 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-
    • N72 - Economic History - - Economic History: Transport, International and Domestic Trade, Energy, and Other Services - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

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